Floor-covering composition.



UNITED TATE PATENT FFIQED MAX NIENSTAEDT, 0F PALISADE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN FLOORING COMPANY, INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

FLOOR-COVERING COMPOSITION.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, MAX NIENSTAEDT, a citizen of the Republic of Switzerland, residing at Palisade, New Jersey, have invented the herein-described Improvements in Floor-Covering Compositions.

The improvement relates to resilient floorcovering compositions of the kind that is prepared in plastic state and applied in such condition to the surface or floor to be covered, where it is adapted to set or harden to form the finish surface of the floor. The invention consists in the combination of the certain ingredients hereinafter identified, producing a floor-covering which is free from the common objections to which such floors are generally subject, to wit, that of cracking from the shrinkage or change in volume of the composition, or becoming brittle and non-resilient by oxidation or drying out of its components. The new composition while thus permanently elastic and proof against shrinkage and bulging, is also substantially unaffected by moisture, so as to be free from expansion from this cause, and it is likewise of superior toughness so that it will successfully resist such tensile strains as occur from the slight sagging or settling of floor beams or other causes, and above all, it is particularly resistant to abrasion, being thus admirably adapted for the purpose for which devised.

The composition consists essentially of a resilience-giving material in granular form, such as finely ground cork, mixed with ground or chopped istle fiber, these materials being mixed together and combined with a cement or binder, and then reduced to troweling consistency by the addition of china-wood oil, sometimes called Tung oil, before the setting of the cement. With such ingredients there is preferably included also a suitable mineral or non fibrous filler, and also the desired pigment. The setting of the cement converts the mixture into a homogeneous, dense but elastic mass or layer having a horn-like feel and appearance and adhering tenaciously to the surface on which it has been placed.

In mixing the said ingredients I proceed as follows: To a quantity of finely ground cork, about 30 mesh, I add about an equal quantity by weight of istle fiber which is also cut or reduced so that the individual fibers do not, on the Whole, exceed. say

Specification of Letters Patent.

inch in length, a longer length being objectionable in that it is likely to interfere with the smoothness of the troweled surface. I have discovered that fiber commercially known and sold as istle, being a species of agave fiber, is peculiarly well adapted to the purposes of the present invention, its natural tensile and structural characteristics serving in conjunction with the cement binder to bond the granular cork particles in firm union, thereby providing the desired tensile strength to the covering. Its color also is neutral in the composition. I also and preferably add to the cork and istle a similar or slightly less amount of asbestos, this being a fibrous material which though not possessing the same tensile strength and neutral color characteristics as the istle, does not so much interfere with the smoothness of the surface, and, moreover, does not hamper the troweling. The non-fibrous filler is then added, for which purpose I prefer a mixture of about equal parts of clay and silex, the amount added depending upon the character of floor desired, as will be readily understood by those familiar with this art. I usually add an amount of such mineral. filler equal at least to'50% of the weight of the cork and fiber, and preferably as much as 75 or 90%. These ingredients, with the pigment added, are thoroughly mixed with about twice their weight of cement, such as magnesium oxid in the dry state, mixed with a solution of magnesium chlorid in water and of a density of about 23 Be, the amount of the solution used being sufficient only to reduce the mixture to the consistency of stiff dough. be thoroughly kneaded until the cement binder has become intimately mixed with all of the granular materials, and especially with the fibrous material. The china-Wood oil is then added, and thoroughly worked into the mass, as by continued kneading, until its consistency is suitable for troweling, whereupon it is applied to the floor or other surface to be covered and allowed to set.

It will be understood that the exact proportions of the ingredients may be varied from the amounts above given, thereby altering in one way or another the character of the finished floor; thus, the use of a larger quantity of the cement will tend to make the floor covering harder and less lte This must Patented May 29, 191?.

Application filed August 7, 1912. Serial No. 713,737.

silient; larger quantities of the mineral filler, up to about 100% of the ground cork and fiber Will tend to give a closer grain to the surface, While added istle fiber Will to some extent increase the toughness as Well 'as the resilience of the covering, but in exerings for ordinary service to use somewhat more istle fiber than ground cork or asbestos, as the composition is thus in its toughest state and best adapted to resist strains tending to produce cracks. The addition of china-Wood oil to the mixture, which thus far is a Water solution, is preferably made last and just before applying the coverin The quantity added will determine the hardness of the resulting composition. This particular oil is an important feature of the combination, in that it is slow in drying and When oxidized is insoluble and prac tically neutral to all ordinary substances.

I claimr 1. The improved floor covering composition comprising a resilient granular material, a pulverulent mineral filler, a mineral cement and china-Wood oil, substantially as set forth.

2. The improved floor covering compo sition comprisinggranular resilient material mixed With ground istle fiber, a pulverulent mineral filler and a mineral cement, the Whole being mixed with china-Wood oil and adapted to be troiveled.

3. The improved floor covering composition which comprises a granular resilient material mixed with ground commercial istle fiber, a mineral cement and a slowdrying oil.

4r. The improved floor covering composition Which comprises finely ground cork, ground istle fiber, asbestos, .a non-fibrous filler, a mineral cement and a slow-drying oil, the latter being incorporated With the other ingredients before the cement binder has set.

The improved floor covering composition Which comprises. fine granular resilient material, ground or chopped tough fiber, and a mineral cement, the Whole being mixed with a slow-drying oil.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two Witnesses.

MAX NIENSTAEDT.

Witnesses EMIL SCI-IMlDT, S. IRA Coornn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Cqmmissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

